THE Wimmera Southern Mallee Regional Assembly will meet in Stawell during May. The state government established the regional partnerships in 2016, calling on regional communities to have their say on the topics that matter most to them. The Stawell meeting is on Wednesday, May 30. The Wimmera Southern Mallee Regional Partnership is one of nine regional partnerships in Victoria and takes in the Horsham Rural City municipality and Hindmarsh, Northern Grampians, West Wimmera and Yarriambiack shires. Assemblies discuss a range of topics including transport, education, tourism and economics. They play a role in engaging with communities to identify priorities in their regions and to develop solutions. The partnerships work across all government portfolios and with the three levels of government. The 2017-18 Victorian Budget allocated $29 million for priority initiatives by the partnerships. Since the regional partnerships meetings started in 2016, the state government has funded the development of a business model for a Networked Grains Centre of Excellence. This aims to advance the Wimmera Southern Mallee region’s competitive advantage in agri-science. Also stemming from the regional partnership, the government also decided to fund future planning to develop a thriving tourism industry in the region. The regional partnerships are made up of community and business leaders. They are joined on the partnerships by the chief executives of councils, a representative of Regional Development Australia and a Victorian government representative. Third-generation grain and livestock farmer David Jochinke, of Murra Warra, chairs the Wimmera Southern Mallee Regional Partnership. A meeting of the Central Highlands Assembly in Ballarat on June 14 follows the Stawell gathering.

Stawell to host Wimmera Southern Mallee Regional Assembly

THE Wimmera Southern Mallee Regional Assembly will meet in Stawell during May.

The state government established the regional partnerships in 2016, calling on regional communities to have their say on the topics that matter most to them.

The Stawell meeting is on Wednesday, May 30.

The Wimmera Southern Mallee Regional Partnership is one of nine regional partnerships in Victoria and takes in the Horsham Rural City municipality and Hindmarsh, Northern Grampians, West Wimmera and Yarriambiack shires.

Assemblies discuss a range of topics including transport, education, tourism and economics.

They play a role in engaging with communities to identify priorities in their regions and to develop solutions.

The partnerships work across all government portfolios and with the three levels of government.

The 2017-18 Victorian Budget allocated $29 million for priority initiatives by the partnerships.

Since the regional partnerships meetings started in 2016, the state government has funded the development of a business model for a Networked Grains Centre of Excellence.

This aims to advance the Wimmera Southern Mallee region’s competitive advantage in agri-science.

Also stemming from the regional partnership, the government also decided to fund future planning to develop a thriving tourism industry in the region.

The regional partnerships are made up of community and business leaders.

They are joined on the partnerships by the chief executives of councils, a representative of Regional Development Australia and a Victorian government representative.